Alcohol Use Can Affect Your Insurance Premium Rates

Now-a-days, alcohol abuse has become common among all age groups. Many people are abusing alcohol despite being aware of its harmful effects. More than half of the Americans are abusing alcohol. According to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 50 percent of adults are current regular drinkers (at least 12 drinks) and 14 percent of adults were infrequent drinkers (1-11 drinks) in 2008. National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) stated that 51.6 percent of Americans abused alcohol in 2008.

Alcohol abuse leads to increased health risks including coronary heart diseases, heart attacks, obesity, chronic pancreatitis, fetal damage, hardening of liver, chronic liver diseases, blackouts and memory lapses, severe cognitive effects, lack of co-ordination, irregular heart beat, coma and even death. There will be decrease in life expectancy in alcohol abusers by 10 to 15 years. Since the alcohol abuse impacts the life expectancy of the abuser, the insurance companies distinguish between the abusers and non-abusers. Alcohol abusers have to pay huge insurance premiums when compared to non-abusers.

Anything more than social drinking may result in higher life insurance premiums
If a person is a heavy drinker, he has to pay high insurance premiums. Generally, more than two-three drinks a day will knock a person out of regular life insurance rates. When a person applies for a insurance premium, he is inquired about alcohol consumption. The person has to undergo few medical examinations in order to make sure that he/she is not an alcohol abuser. The person has to undergo liver function test called Carbohydrate Deficient Transferrin (CDT) test. By CDT test, one can know the liver enzyme level. If a person is a heavy drinker, then the CDT test would show elevated liver enzyme levels. The policy of that person would be denied or the policy will be issued, but with higher policy rates.

DUI conviction results in higher life insurance rates
DUI (Driving Under Influence) fatality is a serious issue in the United States. All of the 50 states in United States and the District of Columbia prohibits driving with Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) of 0.08 percent or more. If violated, the person will be under DUI conviction. Once a person gets convicted under DUI, he/she should wait at least a year to get life insurance policy offer – that too with high insurance premiums. Insurers will also check if the person has successfully completed the drug treatment program, usually ordered by the court after DUI conviction.

It’s an uphill battle even for recovering alcoholics
Even recovering alcoholics or those who left alcohol long back, may still find it difficult to find a low cost life insurance policy. The person may be denied insurance or would have to pay high insurance rates because of high health risks associated with alcohol for many years. Generally, an insurance application will be either declined or postponed within first two years of recovery from alcohol.

As we discussed above, alcohol abuse can have a major influence on your insurance premium rates. Either the applicant’s insurance policy will get rejected or has to pay high life insurance premiums rates. Therefore, it is necessary to avoid much alcohol intake to enjoy the benefits of insurance.

Drug Test Strips is an online store offering reliable, easy to use and FDA approved Drug testing kit at affordable prices. Our Marijuana drug test strip is a rapid urine screening test that can be performed without the use of an instrument. Our Nicotine test kit is a device used for the detection of cotinine in human urine.

Submit your article at our free articles directory